Magnetic tape is commonly used to store voice and data information due to its reliability, cost efficiency, and ease of use. Magnetic tape may be made more useful and cost effective by increasing the density of information stored on the magnetic tape. One method of increasing information density is to decrease the thickness of the tape thereby permitting more tape to be stored in a given volume.
Decreasing the thickness of magnetic tape creates difficulties in a tape transport system. First, thinner tape more easily stretches, increasing the possibility of read and write errors. Tape stretching is exacerbated by complex tape transport systems and by moving the magnetic tape through tension provided by a take-up reel. Second, very thin tape may require mechanical support within the tape transport system to prevent folding, kinking, creasing, curling and other mechanical damage. Third, thin tape is easily skewed relative to the tape head. Therefore, some mechanism to position the tape relative to the tape head is required.
What is needed is an effective tape transport system for thin tape. The tape transport system must be able to move magnetic tape past the tape head without stretching or mechanical damage. The tape transport system should further be simple, inexpensive, and easy to maintain.